Method of and means for handling coils of wire



July 1, 1958 METHOD Filed March 5, 1956 1.. G. BERQUIST 2,841,300

OF AND MEANS FOR HANDLING cons OF WIRE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 illlm. wn nllnln...

FIG.

INVENTOR.

LEONARD G. BERQUIST M/M-i ATTYS.

July 1, 1958 1.. e. BERQUIST 2,341,300

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR HANDLING cons OF WIRE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 5, 1956 INVENTOR. LEQNARD G. BERQUIST July 1, 1958 1.. G. BERQUIST 2,341,300

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR HANDLING cons OF WIRE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 5, 1956 INVENTOR. LEONARD c. BERQUIST BY M ATTYS.

United Patent @ffice 2,841,390 Patented July 1, 1958 METHOD 8: AND MEANS FOR HANDLING (19115 915 WIRE Leonard G. Berquist, Niles, l /iictu, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Qlarlr Equipment Company, Buchanan, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Application M ami: 5, 195s, Serial No. 569,430

Qiairns. {CL 214-620) The present invention relates to a method and means for lifting and transporting coils of wire and, while not expressly limited to that purpose, is particularly adapted to transport said wire coils to and from a work station such, for example, as an annealing furnace.

In the program of fabricating wire and the like, including cables, metal ribbons, etc., such materials are normally made up in the form of annular coils and secured by banding means. It will be appreciated that such coils are necessarily cumbersome and heavy. As a result, the problem of moving them in and about a factory and, for example, to and from the annealing furnace is a troublesome one.

Various coil grippers are now known employing expansion systems whereby a core mechanism or the like may be inserted within the open hollow center of the fabricated coil and expanded to grip the interior side walls of the coil. Such grippers are provided with hoist attaching means for connecting the gripper to conventional hoist means for the lifting of the coil by the latter. These coil grippers are obiectionable from the standpoint of being limited to the movement of a single coil at any one time, and to the expense and inefiicient use of the hoist mechanism need to transport the coil.

Broadly, the present invention has for its principal object the provision of means whereby a series of coils may be lifted and transported as a unit.

Specifically, the invention contemplates the provision of means whereby a series of coils in side-by-side relationship with their axes aligned in a horizontal plane may be engaged by said means and tilted thereby so that the axes of the coils of wire lie in a vertical plane for transportation of the coils.

Briefly, the above and other objects of the present invention contemplate the utilization of a conventional lift truck in conjunction with an expandable prong or ram pivotally mounted on the lift carriage of the truck. The prong or ram is provided with means to lock it in a lower horizontal position and preferably with its axis axially aligned with the open centers of a series or group of coils. Upon forward movement of the truck, the prong or ram may be inserted in the open centers of the coils. Mechanism is then extended over the outermost coil at the free end of the ram to prevent the coils from passing thereoff. By releasing the locking means holding the ram in its horizontal position, and by elevating the lift carriage to which the ram is attached, the series of coils may ultimately be disposed with the axes thereof in a substantially vertical or perpendicular position. The series of coils in such vertical position may then be transported by movement of the truck to a point, for example, over the annealing stem of an annealing furnace, which latter may typically be located in a pit below the floor supporting the truck.- The annealing furnace has a vertically movable loading platform, and with the lift truck and coils positioned as described, by retracting or releasing the mechanism extended over the outermost coil at the'free end of the ram, the series of coils may be disposed on the loading platform whereby upon lowering of the platform the coils will be stripped from the ram and transferred to the annealing stem. It will be obvious that by carrying out the above operations in reverse order that a series of coils may be transferred from the annealing stem to the prong or ram and transported to a place of storage.

Other features and advantages of the invention will in part be obvious and in part will hereinafter appear and they consist generally in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction to be described and of which the scope of application will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings in which is shown the preferred illustrative embodiment of the invention:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a fork lift truck equipped with a pivotal prong or ram for the purpose hereinbefore described;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the lift carriage of the truck transposing a series of coils from a horizontal to a vertical position; and

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the lift truck and ram of the present invention showing the series of coils positioned in a vertical position over the annealing stem of an annealing furnace.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, the lift truck 1 is a known type of commercial vehicle having the usual uprights 2 at the forward end thereof in which operates the usual lift carriage 3.

The prong or ram 4 is supported on the lift carriage 3 by brackets 5 that may be secured to the carriage in any suitable or preferred manner. The ram is pivoted, adjacent one end, between the brackets 5 on a pivot pin or shaft 6 for pivotal movement from a horizontal to a vertical position. To provide for holding the ram in a lowered horizontal position the rearward extension 4a of the ram is provided with the recess 7 for receiving a locking pin 8, which pin operates in a slot 9 in the brackets 5. Locking pin 8 may be manually operated for unlocking ram 4 from brackets 5, or it may be hydraulically actuated from the truck operators seat for that purpose. Preberably, the pin and recess are so designed that the pin 8 will automatically engage in recess 7 upon movement of the ram from its vertical to its horizontal position.

Ram 4 comprises a metal tube 10 of appreciable length, and provided with a plurality of circmnferentially spaced brackets (three in this instance) at the end thereof adjacent pivot pin 6. Ribs 11, of a length slightly less than tube 10, are pivotally mounted at 12 to such brackets. At its opposite free end each rib has one end of an outwardly curved shoe 13 pivoted thereto at 14-, the free end of which is adapted to partially engage over the outer surface of the outermost coil at the free end of the ram.

To expand the ram, that is to move the ribs 11 outwardly about their pivots 12, an expander, designated generally at 15, is employed. Such expander comprises three links 16 having one end pivoted at 17 to the shoes 13, the other ends of the links extending through a slot into the tube 16, Where they are connected to hydraulic actuator mechanism (not shown) located within the tube. Also, the expander includes three links is pivoted at 19 to brackets 29 spaced circumferentially about and secured to the outer surface of tube 10. A cam member 21 formed on each of links 18 extends through a slot in tube 10 and has camming engagement with a roller (not shown) connected to the hydraulic actuating mechanism in the tube. Also, the links carry a roller (not shown) journaled thereto at 22, this roller having bearing and rolling engagement with a recess 23 in links 18. The operation of the expander is such that upon initial movement of the hydraulic actuator, the shoes 13, which normally lie in a slot in tubelil in thetetracted position of the expander, are initially moved outwardly about their pivots 14, after which the roller. connected to the hy draulic actuator comes into contact with the cam 21 on links 18. 'Then, upon continuegl actuation of the hydrauli c actuator, the .aforernentioned'roller and cam 21 becomeoperative to swing ribs ll outwardly about their pivots 12' relative to tube 19, through the medium of the roller journaled to the linksifi at 22, until such "time as the free ends of the ribs are in contact with the inner surface of the outermost coils on the ram and with the shoes 13 partially engaging the outer vertical face of the outermost coil on the ram.

.The details of construction of the above described expander are not of the essence ofthe present invention, as any suitable'expa'nder may be employed to swing the ribs 11 outwardly about their pivots 12 for the purpose described. However, the details of" construction of such expander are fully illustrated and disclosedin the, copending applicationof Fred Sherriff, Serial No. 569,843, filed March 6, 1956, for Coil Handling. Device, to'which 7 application reference may be rnade tracings.

' In operation of "the device of'the present invention,

the truck operator will firstlock the ram 4 in itsjhorizontal position, if it is not already solocked, through the mediumof pin 8 and recess 7. The ram 4 maythen be raised or lowered relative to uprights 2 to axially align the ram with the open centers of a plurality of wire coils 24 that are to be transportedto a work station such as an annealing furnace 25. The truck 1 is then'driven forward to position the ram 4 in the bore of the coils.

. By then actuating expander '15, the ribs 11 may be caused to swing outwardly about their pivots 12 to position the free ends of ribs ll against the inner surface of the outermost coils on the ram and the shoes 13 partially over ram (the latter free of wire coils and the ribs 11 retracted) may be positioned with the ram 4 over annealing stem 26. By then raising platform 27 with a load of wire coils thereon, the coils may be transferred from theiannealing stem 26 to the ram i. Ribs 11 may then be expanded to hold the coils fast to the rain. The truck can 'then be driven to a point o-fstorage where, by resting V the lowermost coil on the floor or storage ra k 28,1116

truck may be backed away and the lift carriage simultaneously lowered to dispose'the coils with their 'axes in a By locking the ram in its'horizontal 7 position and thenfurther backing the truck, the ram may horizontal position.

be removed from the centers of thecoils.

While 'a'preferred form of the invention has been il lustrated and described by way of example, it will be obvious that changes may be made therein within the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the rennin stead of being pivoted from its horizontal to its vertical dependent position, may swing,'by suitablerneans, from its horizontal position tola vertically upwardly extended position where the'loadrnay be removed from the "ram by overhead equipment for processing. Therefore, the invention is not to be limited to the precise form herein disclosed, except insofar-as it may so be limited by "the appended claims. V I

I claim:

'lQ 'A method of handling a group of wire coils with a lift truck having an upwardly and downwardly movable carriage provided with a rain, which comprises thefsteps of positioning a group of coils of wire in side-by-side relationship with their axes aligned in aiho'rizontal plane f engaging the ram in the openings in the group ofcoils,-

' elevating the movable carriage to suspend the group of the outer surface of the-outermost coil on the 'rami' The coils and ram are then readyto be transferred fr'om a horizontal to a vertical position. r

In elevating the ram and the coils from the horizontal position to the vertical position, it is to be observed that it is not contemplated that such change from the horizontal to the. vertical position would be accomplished by simply elevating the ram in its horizontal position and thereafter releasing lock pin 8 from its recess 7; thus allowing, ram 4 to pivot'to its vertical position. Such a sequence of operations would allow the ramand'coils to swing downwardly very rapidly with possible damage to the truck supporting structure. On the contrary, in moving the ram and coils from their-horizontalposition to their vertical position, it'is contemplatedithat after the coils are positioned on the ram in itshorizontal position, the truck operator will then release lock pin 8 from recess coils on .the ram with their aligned axes ina vertical plane, transporting the group of coils so suspended to a workstation, and lowering the movable carriage to lower the group of coils at the Work station to a position Where the uppermost coil of the group of coils isdisposed be.

low the horizontal plane. in which'the axes of the coils initiallylaid; a 1 2. For use withan industrial truck'having an up-- wardly and 'downwardlvmovable load supportin g'car- 7 and will then gradually raise'lift carriage '3, thus allowa ing the outermost coils to slide along the fioor' until the ranrassumes its vertical position. v 7 coils along the door, the tr'uclr'operator may, if he so defsires, inch the truck forwardly consistent with the rise of the lift carriage in the uprights 2.

it will be observed that the placing of the coils of wire in an annealing furnace is essentially a twolevel operation. Theannealing furnace 25 is positioned on the lower level, with the truck carrying the wire coils on the level thereabove. Upon arrival of the truck and the superposed coils at the furnace, the ram is disposed in contact with the annealing stem 26 of the furnace.

As shown, annealing furnace 25 has a vertically mova In lieu of sliding the lowering platform '27, the coils will be transferred from V the ram 4 to the annealing stenrZd.

It will be obvious that the operations described above maybe carried o-ut in reverse order, that is, the truck and riage, the combination of ram meanswith orie end being I pivotally mounted to the load supporting carriagesand normally maintained in'a horizontal position for engagement of the otherend thereof intoat least a single 'coil of materialhaving its axis positioned in a horizontal,

plane, said ram means" being operable from its normal horizontal position to a dependent vertical position-with respect to said load carriage upon upward movement of the latter, and means carried by said ram means expandable after. the'latter has been inserted into the coil of inaterial to prevent the coilfrom thereafter passing 'ofi of the ram means. g t

3. For use. with an industrial truck having an upwardly and downwardly movable load supporting carriage, the combination of ram means with one end being pivot;

ally mounted to the load supporting carriage and normal-- ly maintained in a horizontal position'for engagement. of the other end thereof through an opening in ,a 'coil of material having its axis positionedin a horizontal plane said ram means being operable;from its normal horizontalposition to a dependent'vertical position with re-.

spect to said load supporting carriage upon" upward movementof theilatter, andrneans carried by said ram V meanshaving elements'expandable from aneffective di-.

ameter less than, to anefiective diarneter greater than, the

diameter of the opening in the c oil after the elements have been passed 'through the latter to prevent the coil" fromthereafter passingotr of the rain means. V

, 4. The device of claimj3, wherein the ram'means comprises a tube, a plurality of circumfere'ntially spaced" brackets mounted on one end of said tube, a rib pivoted at oneendltmeach'o'f said brackets, and means cooperating saiditube' and said ribs to'swing the opposite end of said ribs outwardly about their pivots relative to said tube.

References Cited in the file of this patent 6 Pierce July 2, 1940 Hazen May 18, 1943 Jackes et a1 June 17, 1952 Douglas Mar. 10, 1953 Garrett Aug. 24, 1954 Cigliano June 28, 1955 

